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Harwood take Ramsbottom Cup
Great Harwood won the Ramsbottom Cup Final at Clitheroe by defeating Earby by 6 wickets. Great Harwood opening bowler Matthew Haworth won the 'Man of the match' award for his 10 over spell of 2-23 which strangled the Earby batting early on in tandem with Gordon Simpson. Professional Farhan Adil saw Great Harwood to victory with an unbeaten knock of 91 which included 13 boundaries and two sixes after Earby had been dismissed for 142 with Paul Newton and Ian Haworth picking up three wickets each. Earby had a disastrous start, losing opener Steve Rushton, brilliantly run out by a direct hit from cover by Alan Armer, without scoring in the second over of the match. Rushton was in the side in place of skipper Ian Clarkson who was recovering from a minor operation. Craig Walton was also missing from the Earby line-up and Stephen Hipgrave assumed the captaincy. The fall of Rushton brought professional Alex Scholefield to the crease and in the 4th over the former Todmorden man scored the first boundary of the final through point off Matthew Haworth. After 6 overs Earby were 8/1 and in the next over Scholefield had a narrow escape edging Simpson's slower ball just short of Adil at second slip. There was no such luck for Stephen Pickles though as the opener edged the last ball of Matthew Haworth's 4th over to Daniel Cheesbrough at first slip. Pickles, who had scored a half century in each of the previous rounds, had made just 3. Scholefield began to grow in confidence, pulling Matthew Haworth over mid wicket to the boundary, cutting Simpson to the ropes and following up with a superb on-drive for four which was the shot of the match to date. Nigel Hodge was next to fall caught by Ian Haworth off Matthew Haworth for 65 with the total on 39/2. Chris Walton was next in and he introduced himself with a superb straight drive to the boundary off Matthew Haworth. Scholefield then had a let off when Adil dropped him at second slip off Simpson but the professional fell soon after, given out caught down the leg side after a long delay for 31 by Ian Threlfall off Ian Haworth. Walton square cut the same bowler to the boundary but Paul Tilbury didn't last long, lofting Adil to Simpson at mid off and Earby were 90/5 in the 34th over. Left arm spinner Paul Newton trapped new batsman Andrew Rushton without scoring and 2 overs later Walton cut Newton straight to Liam Deasey at point for 33. New batsman Trevor Kegg took the attack to the bowlers immediately hitting Newton to the boundary. The former Nelson man soon became Newton's third victim, falling in identical fashion to Andrew Rushton for 8. When Glyn Sedman fell to the Haworth combination Earby were in dire straights at 113/9. Captain Stephen Hipgrave hit some lusty blows before falling to the same combination for 30, but he had at least given his side a total of 142 to bowl at. The Great Harwood reply got off to a rapid start with Adil off driving and then pulling boundaries in Scholefield's first over. Ian Haworth edged Kegg through the slips for two boundaries in the second over but the opener fell soon after lbw to Scholefield with the total on 18. Young Australian Cameron McKay was next man in and he had to survive some testing deliveries from Kegg before settling in. Adil upped the tempo in the 8th over driving his opposite number through mid on and then hitting him over square leg for 6. McKay began to find his touch and played some delightful shots through the leg side before being bowled by a delighted Earby captain for 20.
The
fall of the second wicket heralded the return of Scholefield, who replaced
Sedman, but Adil greeted him with an off drive to the boundary. Two overs
later though the Earby professional made another breakthrough, removing Daniel
Cheesbrough lbw without offering a stroke and Great Harwood were 82/3. Alan
Armer was next in and he clubbed his first ball from Scholefield through mid
off for four. The next ball disappeared through the mid wicket boundary to
raise the Harwood supporters spirits once more. Adil brought up the Great
Harwood century in the 28th over and Armer had a big escape when Earby wicketkeeper
Derek Proud dropped a return from the fielder with the batsman stranded.
Kegg returned and Adil immediately played him straight to Sedman at square leg who failed to hold onto a simple catch. The left armer did remove Armer in the next over but Adil would not be moved and continued to score at will, eventually hitting the winning runs in the 39th over to take the trophy back to Great Harwood for the third time.
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